As it is nearly impossible to eliminate an accent, and because it is "who you are", I also tell my students to SLOW DOWN .. don't try to speak English as fast as you speak your native language because your accent will get in the way, and because you won't get qll of the English sounds out of your mouth!  These admonitions do seem to help them relax and be better understood.

________________________________

From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of karen mauer
Sent: Mon 8/20/2007 11:49 AM
To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 1685] Re: Accent Reduction - IdeasforSpecialTopics Discussions


Bravo.  Your score on the BEST Plus should be good!

"Kropp, Norm V." <Norm.Kropp at drs.virginia.gov> wrote: 

	I have taught advanced ESL for 7 years and I encourage my students to speak to be understood not to eliminate their accents.  
	 
	
________________________________

	From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Muro, Andres
	Sent: Monday, August 20, 2007 1:01 PM
	To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
	Subject: [EnglishLanguage 1681] Re: Accent Reduction - Ideas forSpecialTopics Discussions
	 
	Why would you want to reduce accent? Accent is good. It reflects differences in culture, background etc. Why would anyone want all English speakers to sound like people of Mexican ancestry?  I understand that pretty soon, the majority of Americans will be of Hispanic origin. However, we should still preserve the Midwest accent, the New York/New Jersey accent, the Bostonian accent, the Southern accent and all other accents. As long as people can understand each other, it is good. If some cannot understand accents beyond a very restricted region, we should work on training them to understand a multitude of accents as well as other languages. 
	 
	Andres
	 
	
________________________________

	From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Cross, Patricia J.
	Sent: Monday, August 20, 2007 9:24 AM
	To: The Adult English Language Learners Discussion List
	Subject: RE: [EnglishLanguage 1664] Re: Accent Reduction - Ideas for SpecialTopics Discussions
	 
	At Even Start, we use a DVD named "Breaking the Accent Barrier"  by Dr. David Alan Stern.  It is very good when trying to adopt intonation and rhythm patterns of American speech.
	 
	Pat Cross
	Oklahoma City Even Start
	 
	
________________________________

	From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of JBaker3439 at aol.com
	Sent: Mon 8/13/2007 10:25 AM
	To: englishlanguage at nifl.gov
	Subject: [EnglishLanguage 1664] Re: Accent Reduction - Ideas for SpecialTopics Discussions
	 
	I'm doing work in a large hospital where there are employees who speak English, but are very hard to understand, due to their heavy accents. 
	 
	I have decided to work with one employee who interacts with visitors and patients entering the hospital. He's a very bright man from Argentina who would like to move up the career ladder, but feels that this thick accent is holding him back. It is very difficult to understand him, even though he understands English perfectly.  
	 
	I told this employee that I wouldn't want him to fully lose his accent, but am willing to help him with certain sounds that will help him be more clearly understood.
	 
	During my years in adult and workplace education, I have helped many with accent reduction on an informal basis.  However, I've never had any formal training in accent reduction and would appreciate hearing what others have done in terms of working with students and training trainers.
	 
	Julie
	  
	Julie N. Baker
	Workforce Skills Development
	13805 Shaker Blvd., Suite #4A
	Cleveland, Ohio 44120
	216-561-1629
	jbaker3439 at aol.com
	 
	
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